Combined mold and package for suppositories



oct. 23, 1962 R. JORDT 3,059,766

COMBINED MOLDvAND PACKAGE FOR SUPPOSITORIES Filed Aug. 12. 1959 l, l Il lI um f 0 United States Patent C) 3,059,766 COMBINED MULD AND PACKAGE EUR SUPPOSITORIES Robert Jordt, Deerfield, Ill., assigner to G. D. Searle & Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 12, 1959, Ser. No. 833,314 1 Claim. (Cl. 20o-63.2)

My present invention relates to a mold and package for suppositories, and, more particularly, to a device in which a suppository or suppositories may be molded, stored and transported, and from which such suppository or suppositories may be dispensed.

An object of my invention is to provide a device--a combined mold and package-in which one or more suppositories may be molded and merchandised. This device obviates the need for additional and intermediate manuacturing and dispensing procedures such as separating each suppository from the mold in which it was formed and then wrapping it, packaging each individually-wrapped suppository in a storage or shipping container, maintaining the individually-wrapped suppository in satisfactory form, and transferring the individually-wrapped suppositories from a shipping or storage container to trade packages.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device wherein and wherefrom the availability of a suppository, to the ultimate user thereof, is enhanced and wherein and whereby the prior-to-use handling and manipulation required in connection with a suppository is reduced to a minimum. When a suppository is needed, a patient or his attendant using my invention has only to uncover and lift out a suppository; each suppository may easily be uncovered to such an extent that this lifting is simply and quickly accomplished. Moreover, the minimized handling and manipulation tends to ensure sterility and retention of the ysuppositorys necessary characteristic shape.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device for the reliable storage of a suppository or suppositories. Typically, a suppository is intended to melt at a temperature slightly below normal human body temperature, and, therefore, suppositories are stored under controlled temperature conditions so that their necessary and characteristic form is retained. If the storage temperature is unexpectedly or accidentally raised, then the suppositories are very likely to deform and to become useless. My invention avoids this hazard, for if the storage temperature were to become too high, the suppository material, although partially melted or even liquefied, would yet be retained completely within the device and in proper form to resume the solid state upon lowering of the temperature. Such temperature reduction could easily be effected by immersing my device in cold water.

My invention is explained in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Referring now to the drawings:

FIG. l is an elevation view of the suppository mold and package showing a preferred embodiment of my invention.

FlG. 2 is a plan View of my invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded and inverted elevation of the device shown in FIG. l, taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of several of the suppository molds and packages that are separably grouped together-the barrel in the center position is shown with its cap removed and the barrel in the left-hand position is shown displaced downwardly upon its post.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of the full assembly of FIG. 4 contained within an outer container. The outer container is transparent.

Patented Oct. 23, 1962 FIG. 6 is a side elevation View of FIG. 5. The outer container is transparent.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates a cap having an open end and substantially concave interior conformation; the numeral 2 designates a barrel; the numeral 3 designates a post; the numeral 4 designates a base section; the numeral 5 designates a connection, of reduced cross section area, by which base sections, numeral 4, are connected; numeral vdesignates a suppository; numeral '7 designates a portion of an outer container; numeral 8 designates a portion of an outer container; numeral 9 designates a paper wrapper.

As shown in the drawings, a cap 1 is adapted contactably and separably to engage with one end portion of an open ended barrel 2, such engagement forming a liquidtight seal, and the barrel 2, at its other end, is adapted to engage with and to be selectively positionable with respect to a post 3, such engagement forming a liquid-tight seal. The engagement of the cap 1 and barrel 2 and the engagement of the barrel 2 and the post 3 and the selective positionability of the barrel Z with respect to the post 3 may be accomplished frictionally or otherwise depending upon the material of which they are fabricated. Also, as shown in the drawings, the post 3 may be mounted on or formed with a base section 4 upon which the assembly may be made to stand, and the base section 4, with its post 3-barrel 2-cap 1 assembly may be fitted within an outer container 7 and 8 of suitable dimensions, or provided with other means whereby unintended removal of the cap 1 from the barrel 2 and unintended movement of the barrel 2 with respect to the post 3 may be further guarded against. Preferably, as shown in the drawings, the barrel 2 may be provided with a flange 11 and with exterior grasping means such as a pair of projections 10 near the end of the barrel that is engaged with the cap 1.

A number of base sections 4, each base section with its respective post 3-barrel 2-cap 1 assembly, may be grouped or ganged in convenient numbers, the base sections being adapted so as to be selectively separable from each other. For example, the several base sections may comprise a rigid elongate strip, each base section being defined by an appropriately reduced cross section area 5 between it and the base section or sections adjacent to it, and at such areas of reduced cross section hand applied force may produce a break, whereby one or more of the base sections, With its or their respective post 3-barrel Z-cap 1 assembly or assemblies may be separated from the others, just prior to use or whenever else desired.

The assembly of my invention may be accomplished as follows:

First, a cap 1 is or a number of such caps, spaced, are disposed in a suitable holding fixture with their open ends upward.

The second stage of assembly comprises the insertion of a barrel 2 in each cap 1 at which time each barrel 2 and cap 1 also become engaged. If a number of barrels are to be inserted at the same time, a holding xture corresponding to the cap holding fixture may be employed. A flange 11 on the barrel may be of assistance both in the holding during this stage of assembly of the barrel 2 and in the accurate positioning and engagement of the barrel 2 and the cap 1. The cap and barrel, engaged and positioned so that the cap is below the barrel and so that the longitudinal axis of the barrel has a perpendicular aspect, thus form a cavity. Into this cavity a charge (which may conveniently have been pre-measured) of medicament containing suppository material, in liquid form, is cast.

The third assembly stage is the completion of the mold by engagement of the post 3 and the open upward end of the barrel 2. By this engagement the suppository form is completed.

Finally, each thus-assembled post 3, barrel 2 and cap 1, and the therewithin contained suppository 6, may be provided with an outer container 7 and 8 of appropriate dimensions or with other additional holding means, as hereinbefore described, as a further safeguard against the unintended disengagement of a cap 1 and a barrel 2 or the unintended movement of a barrel 2 with respect to a post 3. If an outer container is used, such outer container or portions thereof may be secured by a variety of suitable means such as hook fasteners, snap fasteners, hinges or a paper wrapper.

A suppository 6 is removed from my device by displacing the barrel (which surrounds the to-be-removed suppository) downwardly along the post 3. For this purpose, the barrel 2 may be provided with exterior grasping means, such as a pair of projections 10, which are of assistance, for these means afford a place for exerting a displacing force by means of the users ngers. The movement of the barrel 2 along the post 3 uncovers the suppository 6 and disengages the barrel 2 and the cap 1, and the user may then easily remove the suppository.

My invention may advantageously be made of plastic material.

My invention may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

A mold and package for suppositories comprising an elongate rigid base member comprising a plurality of adjacent and separable base sections, each such base section being defined by at least one area of reduced transverse cross section in the base member; a plurality of posts, one such post on each of the base sections; a plurality of barrels, each such barrel being open at each end thereof, one such barrel being engaged with and adapted for movement relative to each of the posts; a plurality of caps, each such cap having an open end and substantially concave interior conformation, one such cap being separably engaged with each barrel at the end of such barrel opposite the end thereof that is engaged with the post; a plurality of suppositories, one of such suppositories being within each of the chambers formed by each barrels engagement with such barrels respective cap and post; and a removable enclosure for the base member, the barrels and the caps, such enclosure adapted to contribute to the maintenance of each cap in fixed position with respect to the base member while such cap is engaged with a barrel.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,522,708 Fields Sept. 19, 1950 2,655,289 Peal Oct. 13, 1953 2,680,442 Linzmayer June 8, 1954 2,767,834 Sherman Oct. 23, 1956 2,863,454 Davidson et al Dec. 9, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,025,006 France Ian. 21, 1953 734,838 Great Britain Aug. 10, 1955 L19,056 Germany Dec. 20, 1956 557,211 Italy Feb. 13, 1957 

